Renegade on A Roll

Our 2013 Renegade red blend is on a roll right now…

In The Tasting Panel magazine, Anthony Dias Blue gave it 91 points, while California Grapevine followed with a 90 point rating and a “very highly recommended” designation. Laurie Daniel of McClatchy Newspapers named it her “Wine of The Week,” and we just got word of another high score around the corner.

We call Renegade our “outlaw” blend, as it is an unconventional union of Syrah, Malbec and Petit Verdot from our estate Margarita Vineyard. We asked winemakers Mike Sinor and Stewart Cameron to share their thoughts on the latest vintage:

What is Renegade, and what sets it apart?

Mike: It revolves around Syrah for its lusciousness and up-front fruit. But it also relies on Malbec for mid-palate juiciness and Petit Verdot for structure. So it has a lot of power and up-front fruit, but it finishes with a sense of focus and balance.

Stewart: I think it’s the structure that sets the wine apart. It rings all of the bells of a yummy Rhone-style blend, but it’s that Bordeaux-like firmness on the back end that brings it all together in a unique way.

What stands out about the 2013 vintage?

Mike: The weather was just perfect in 2013, particularly for Syrah. We got all of these big, rich flavors, but it still had quite a bit of backbone.

Stewart: The 2013 vintage marks the highest percentage of Syrah we’ve included in Renegade so far. Each year, it’s about making the best blend possible from these three varieties by deferring to the personality of the vintage. From that perspective, Syrah really merited playing the lead role this time.

We invite you to come by our tasting room to for a taste of the acclaimed 2013 Renegade!